Magnetically operated valve



Aug. 18, 1931. c. FRANK 1,819,461

MAGNETIGALLY OPERATED VALVE Filed April 5. 1928 v 5- m F192.

iNVENTOR L60 6. Fran/hv Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE LEO FRANK, OF FOREST HEILLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOWESTINGHOUSE ELEC- TRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CQRPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA MAGNETI ALLY bPERATED VALVE Application filed April 5,1926. Serial No. 267,686.

My invention relates generally to magnetically operated devices andparticularly to the operation of pneumatic valves by elec-- devicesenergized from an alternating current power. source have been foundunsatisfactory for the control of air engines since the chatter which ischaracteristic of an armature operated by an alternating currentmagnet-is transmitted to the valves.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide for operatinga pneumatic valve electro-magnetically from a source of alternatingcurrent.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide for operating amechanism by.

means of an armature actuated by an alternating current magnet withouttransmitting the chatter of the armature which is characteristic of anarmature actuated by an alternating current magnet.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent to those skilled inthe art when the following description is considered in connection with,the "drawings in which:

Figure l is a view 'in longitudinal section of an electro-magneticallyoperated valve mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the, valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

, Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a lever member employed in thetransmission of force in the electro-magnetically operated device shownin Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation of another levermember which co-actswith the lever member shown in Fig. 3 in the transmission of force in adevice constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a coil 10 is mounted on one leg of amagnetizable U- shaped core member 11 and is disposed to be connected toa source of electric energy through its terminals 9. When the coil 10is-excited from a source of alternating current the core member 11becomes energized and deenergized periodically by the fluctuatingcurrent in the coil 10. The flux established in the core member 11,however, attracts the armature member 12, thereby cornpleting themagnetic circuit through core member 11 and the armature member 12.\Vhen in this position a force is exerted through the levers 13 and 14upon the plunger 15 of the valve mechanism 16.

The lever member 13 is pivotally mounted by the pin 18 upon the framestructure 17 which also supports the core 11 and houses the valvemechanism 16. The lever member 13 has a bifurcated portion as shown inFig. 2, into which the armature member 12 nests and is'pivotally mountedthrough the pin 19. At the back of the bifurcated portion of the levermember 13 a seat 24'is provided into which the coil spring 20 is fitted.

Another lever member 14 is also pivotally mounted through the pivot pin18 upon the frame structure 17. The hinge portion 21 of the lever member14 nests within the hinge portion 22 of the lever member 13 at the -withthe seat 24 on the lever member 13, is

disposed to retain the coil spring 20 in position between them.

When the levers are in their assembled positions, a force applied to thearmature member 12 is transmitted through the lever member 13 to thecoil spring 20 which reacts against the seat provided on the levermember 14 and biases the lever qiiember 14 'in a direction to actuatethe plunger 15 and open the valve mechanism 16. The lever memberv 14 is,however, biased by the spring 25 into a position at which the plunger 15will allow the valvefmechanism 16 to remain in its closed position whenthe armature-12 is disengaged from the core 11. i

It will be seen by reference to the drawings that the lever member 14 isbiased in opposite directions about its pivot point 18 by two separatecoil spring 20 and 25. Howto the lever 14 depressing the spring% to itslimit and actuating the valve mechanism 16 to its open position withoutcausing any depression in the spring 20. The spring 20 is of greaterstifi'ness than the spring and for this reason the spring 25 iscompletely depressed at the beginning of the counterclockwise motion ofthe armature member 12. After the lever member 14 has reached 'while thelever'14 is held stationary' its final position, the lever member 13continues to move, depressing the spring 20 ccordingly any vibrationwhich occurs in the armature 12 after it has reached the limit of itscounter-clockwise travel, is absorbed by the spring 20 which biases thelever 14 into its valve actuating-position. I

The chattering, which must necessarily occur, although to a limitedextent in an electro-magnetic device operated from an alternatingcurrent source of power, is confined to the armature member 12 and thelever member 13, and its transmission to the valve mechanism 16 isprevented by the bufiing effect of the spring 20. Thus when the armature12 is once sealed in its closed position, such chattering as occurs doesnot effect the supply of air flowing through the valve mechanism 16 andwhen once opened the valve inechanism 16 remains open until the coil 10is deenergized, at which time the armature member 12 returns-to itsopenpos1- tion and the plunger 15 is permitted to return to itsuppertposition through the clockwise movement 0 action of the spring 25.

An adjusting screw 26 is provided to limit the air. gap between thearmature member 12 and the core member 11 when the armature member 12 isin its open position as well as to compensate the pressures of thesprings 20 and 25 which influence the respective ends of the levermember 14.:

Since it is possible to modify the embodiment of my inventionhereinbefore set forth and adapt it to various applications withoutdeparting invention, it is desired that the foregoing descriptionconstrued as entirely illustra-',

tive and not in a limiting sense. 4 I claim as my invention: v I p 1. Inan electro-magnetically operated valve, an electro-magnet having anoperatthelever 14 caused by the from the spirit and scope of the ingcoil disposed to be energized by alternating current, an armature memberresponsiveto the operating coil, a valve mechanism, a system ofco-axially mounted levers' disposed to transmit motion fromthearmaturemember to the valve-mechanism, one of said levers being pivotallyconnected to the armature member, and resilient means interposed bet eenthe pivotally connected lever and anot er lever, whereby one lever mayvibrate while the other is held stationary 'by the reaction of theresilient means.

2. In an" electro-magnetically operated valve, in combination, a valvemechanism, an electro-magnet having an operating coil disposed to beenergized .by alternating current and an armature responsive to theoperating coil, a pivotally-mounted lever disposed to support thearmature in an operative position, a second lever pivotally mounted inco-axial' relation to said first lever disposed to actuate the valvemechanism, and a spring member interposed between the free ends of saidpivotallymounted levers to provide a resilient connection thereby toprevent the vibrations of valve, an electro-magnet disposed to beenergized by alternating current, an armature member responsive to theelectro-magnet, a valve mechanism, a plurality of levers pivotallymounted in co-axial relation, one of said levers being connected withsaid armature, the other of said levers being disposed to engage a pushrod, said push rod being disposed to actuate the valve mechanism, andmeans interposed between said levers for absorbing vibrations which mayoccur in said armature member.

4. In an electro-magnetically operated valve, an electro-magnet, anarmature member responsive to the electro-magnet, a valve mechanism,resilient means for retaining said valve mechanism in its closedposition, a pair of lever members for transmitting motion from thearmature to actuate the valve mechanism to its open position, a secondresilient means connecting said lever members and providing a cushion.between them, said second resilient means being of greater stiffnessthan said first resilient' means andthereby permitting a flexibilityergiz'edby alternating current, anarmature member responsive to theelectro-magnet, a

valvemecha'nism, a plurality of pivotally mounted levers, the first ofsaid levers being connected with said armature, the last of said leversbeing disposed to engage a push rod, said push rod being disposed toactuate the valve mechanism, a spring disposed to bias said lever out ofengagement with said push rod, and resilient, means connecting saidfirst and last lever members for allowing said first lever to have anover-travel after said last lever has reached its final position andopened the valve mechanism.

6. In an electro-magnetically operated valve mechanism, in combination,an armature, an alternating-current magnet having a core and operatingcoil for actuating the armature, a lever system comprising a pair oflevers pivotally mounted in co-a xial rela-- tion connected to thearmature and disposed to transmit a predetermined motion to the valvemechanism, a spring member interposed between the separate members. ofthe lever system to absorb vibrations from the electromagnet, and meanscarried by one lever for changingthe relative angular positions of thelever members to adjust the operating position of the armature withrespect to the core.

7. In an electro-magnetically operated valve, in combination, a valvemechanism, an electro-magnet for actuating the valve mechanism, saidelectro-magnet comprising a core and a movable armature, a plurality oflevers disposed to transmit motion from the armature to the valvemechanism, said levers being disposed to pivot about a common axis, aresilient member interposed between the levers to render oneresponsiveto the movement of the other, and means for adjusting therelative positions of the levers,

thereby to provide forvarying the air gap between the armature and thecore in accordance with changes in the operating volt age for operatingthe electromagnet.

8. In an electro-magnetically operated valve for controlling fluids, incombination, a valve mechanism, an electromagnet provided' with. apivotally mounted armature for operating the valve mechanism, a pair ofcooperating lever members interposed between the armature and the valvemechanism, said lever members being pivotally secured at a common pointand having interfitting end portions, a spring member interposed betweenthe end portions forming a armature for operating the valve, a framemember for supporting the valve and electromagnet in operative relation,a lever pivotally secured to the frame member disposed to support thearmature in an operating position, a second lever pivotally secured tothe frame member to rotate about the same axis as the first lever, saidsecond lever having one end positioned in cooperative relation to thefree end of the armature-actuated lever and its other end positioned foractuating the valve-operating plunger when rotated about its pivotpoint, anda coil spring interposed between the cooperatively positionedends of the levers, said spring being under compression when thearmature is'closed in response to the energization of the electromagnet,thereby to impbse a reactive force upon the plungeractuating lever inresponse to vibrations occurring in the armature. 1

10. In an electro-magnetically operated valve mechanism, in combination,a fluidcontrolling valve having a valve-operating plunger, anelectro-magnet provided with an armature for operating the valve, aframe member for supporting the valve and electromagnet in operativerelation, a lever pivotallv secured to the frame, said lever beingdisposed to pivotally support the armature of the electromagnet, aspring-biased lever pivotally mounted upon the frame member, said leverbeing disposed to engage the valve-operating lunger when actuatedagainst the force of the biasing spring, a spring member for resilientlyconnecting said levers together, said spring having such characteristicsas to prevent its depression until the spring-biased lever reaches theend of its travel to open the valve, whereupon LEO C. FRANK.

